Rodin Menace 

Curator: Look at this intriguing artwork, "Rodin Menace" by Vincent Xeus, an oil painting that offers a contemporary take on classical portraiture. The subject matter presents a painted head or bust, surrounded by abstract brushwork. What do you first notice about it? Editor: It's incredibly evocative! There is an unsettling quality to it, maybe even violent, which stems from the dripping paint and stark contrasts, challenging conventional expectations for figuration. It presents this looming question of why a familiar classic is being tainted or destroyed in a painting of oil on what appears to be canvas or board? Curator: Indeed! Let's consider the implications of employing traditional painting techniques for such an expressive artwork. Oil paint allows for blending and layering, thus creating depth. Looking closer, can we see the brushstrokes and paint application? Editor: Yes, you are right. You can see the process. Xeus uses broad strokes in the dark areas to create shadow. You get a real sense of the labor and the raw physicality involved, contrasting with what one expects with traditional painting from say the Renaissance, but it makes me question, why that particular reference? Curator: The choice to depict a classic bust or head could speak to art history's complex relationship with the art world, as well as historical influence. Consider Rodin’s impact: mass production in plaster or bronze of portions of the human body! Xeus engages that sculptural fragment and turns it on its head! How the museum presents, markets and enshrines the old with this artwork in relation is where meaning forms. Editor: Yes, but with this knowledge comes questions regarding our perception. Xeus makes me re-evaluate our perception, challenging how we approach our own practices. Is the menace in the material application or the fact the art itself is not meant to be put on such a high pedestal anymore? Curator: Excellent questions! "Rodin Menace," I think, invites us to look at the material realities and the socio-historical context. Editor: Well said. It makes you re-evaluate art making today. Thank you for this opportunity to analyze Vincent Xeus’ intriguing artwork.